Means for connecting adjoining units of louvered grid lighting fixtures



NW2 13, 1956 J, v. VEVIRIT ET AL 2,770,336

MEANS FOR CONNECTING ADJOINING UNITS OF LOUVERED GRID LIGHTING FIXTURES F l d S pt 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l my 1956 J. v. VEVlRlT ET AL 2,770,336

MEANS FOR CONNECTING ADJOINING UNITS OF LOUVEJRED GRID LIGHTING FIXTURES Filed Sept. 16, l950 2 Sheets-Sheet B United States Patent Office 2,770,336 Patented Nov. 13, 1956 MEANS FOR CONNECTING ADJOINING UNITS OF LOUVERED GRID LIGHTING FIXTURES James V. Vevirit and Anthony Gingo, Buffalo, N. Y., as-

slgnors to J. A. Wilson Lighting & Display Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation Application September 16, 1950, Serial No. 185,272 Claims. (Cl. 189-84) This invention relates to means for connecting adjoining units of louvered grid lighting fixtures.

Louvered grid lighting fixtures have become quite popular for decorative lighting effects and they usually consist of a multi-cellular rectangular or other shaped member suspended from a ceiling. The fixture may cover the whole of the ceiling if desired or a portion thereof, and between the fixture and the ceiling are mounted suitable lights, very often fluorescent lights. The fixture itself may be of metal, but it is commonly of a suitable transpalrent or translucent plastic which may be in any desired co or.

This type of fixture is often quite expensive and one of the problems inherent in it is the selection of material which is sufficiently strong and rigid and yet is not too heavy or too expensive. It has been proposed to make the fixture out of individual units connected together, but again the problem arises of providing a connection which is suificiently rigid to prevent sagging, which will not be diificult to apply and which will not be unsightly.

According to the present invention the fixture is made of a number of units preferably rectangular and comprismg a plurality of transverse vertical equi-spaced intersecting walls, the adjoining walls of each unit being connected together by means of a clip. This clip embraces the upper edges of the adjoining walls so that it interferes to a minimum with the passage of light through the fixture and is not seen below the fixture. The clip comprises a plate adapted to embrace adjoining walls, and means for clamping the plate in position against the upper edges of the walls. Preferably it includes a spacing member for separating the adjoining units and for securing the units together below their upper edges to prevent them from spreading.

The invention is hereinafter more particularly described and is illustrated, by Way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which: i

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of three connected units showing the construction of the clips and the units in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly broken away, of two of the units shown in Fig. l and one of the connecting clips;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one of the clips;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view taken at right angles to Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a clip made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 6 .is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the modified clip shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawings corresponding numerals refer to corresponding parts.

For the purpose of identification the three units shown in Fig. 2 are referred to as 1, 2 and 3 and each of them comprises a plurality of equi-spaced vertical Walls interseating to form a plurality of rectangular open-ended cells. The material of which the units are made may be metal, plastic or any other suitable material.

Referring specially to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be observed that bars which are given the common reference numeral 4 since they are all alike and serve the same function are formed from flanges extending inwardly from the upper edge of the outer walls of each unit at each corner. In each of these bars are cut rectangular recesses and in the base of each recess is a further recess of smaller width.

Along the lower edge of each unit and preferably extending from corner to corner is a projection, along the upper edge of which is an upwardly directed portion, or rib, which is spaced from the grid wall and has a vertical surface facing the grid wall and which, with the grid wall, forms a channel or recess 14 having vertical sides.

The adjoining walls of the units are connected by clips which comprise primarily a plate 5 which extends over the upper edges of adjacent side walls of adjacent units. The plate is proportioned so that it will pass over the bars 4, 4 at the corners of the adjoining units, and has depending arms which are adapted to extend downwardly through the recesses already described in the bars 4. Projecting inwardly from and preferably punched out of the depending arms 5 and 5 are spring lugs resiliently connected at their lower ends with the arms 5 and 5 and projecting inwardly. The recesses in the base of the main recesses in the bars are provided for the passage of these lugs 6 and 7 which are pressed outwardly when the clip is forced into position and which, when they pass beneath the bar 4 will spring out and engage the under edge of the bar to secure the clip to the unit. The bar 4 beneath the lug recess is preferably sloped so that the clip can be removed by the application of sufficient upward pressure to overcome the frictional engagement between this sloped surface and the spring lug. The clamping action between the lugs 6, 7 and the plate 5 restrains relative vertical movement of adjacent grid units.

Depending from the other two opposite sides of the plate 5 are spacing members 8 and 9 which extend between the outer faces of the adjoining units and engage portions of the units which face each other to maintain them a uniform predetermined distance apart. The lower ends of these spacing members are provided with projections 8, 8 and 9 9 which are spaced apart and are preferably adjacent the longitudinal sides of the spacing members 8 and 9. These spacing members are of such length that when the clip is forced down so that the spring lugs engage under the bar 4, the projections 8 8 and 9 9 on the spacing members will engage in the channels 14, 14 of the adjacent units, thus preventing the units from spreading apart. The longitudinal projections forming the channels 14, 14 conceal the clips when the grid units are viewed from below.

It will be observed above that the spring lugs 6 and '7 will clamp the plate 5 onto the upper edges of the adjoining units, holding the adjoining units together.

This may be accomplished in other ways, as, for instance, shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In the construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the spring lugs 6 and 7 are omitted and the depending arms 5 and 5 fit into slots in the bars 4. A bolt 10 passes through the plate 5 and downwardly between the adjacent outer walls of adjacent units and a nut 11 is screwed on the lower end of the bolt 10. This nut may be of any suitable construction, but preferably is a thin piece of sheet material having a pair of upturned edges and an aperture whereby it may be screwed on the bolt 10. Apertures 12 are formed in the outside Walls of adjacent units and the upturned edges of the nut 11 are received in these walls so that when the bolt 10 is tightened down the nut will pull up and engage the upper edges of these apertures and the plate 5 will be clamped against the upper edges of the side walls by this means.

' While one modification of the invention has been described it will be understood that other modifications are possible without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What We claim as our invention is:

1. In combination, a pair of louvered grid lighting units having adjoining walls,- said walls having recesses in their adjoining surfaces intermediate their upper and lower edges, a portion of one, of said wall surfaces facing to wards a portion of the adjoining surface of the other wall, said facing surface portions being between the upper edges of the walls and the recesses, and. a clip connecting said Walls, the clip comprising a wall embracing portion connecting said walls and spacer means extending downwardly from said embracing portion between the walls, the spacer means being in contact with said facing surface portions thus spacing the walls a predetermined distance apart, each wall having a projection extending from the wall towards the adjoining Wall, the projection having a rib that is spaced from, and that has a vertical surface facing, the wall from which the projection extends, said vertical surface defining with the wall the recess of the wall, and the spacer means fitting in said recesses against said vertical surfaces thus preventing spreading apart of the Walls.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, in which said embracing portion extends over the upper edges of said walls and has spring lugs projecting beneath a portion of each Wall whereby the units are restrained against relative movement vertically.

3. In combination, a pair'of louvered grid lighting units having adjoining substantially vertical parallel walls, said walls having longitudinal projections on their adjoining surfaces below their upper edges, each projection having an upwardly directed portion defining with the wall a recess, and a clip connecting said walls, the clip comprising a wall embracing member having spring lugs, portions of each wall being clamped between the lugs and said member whereby relative vertical movement of the walls is restrained, and spacer means depending between the walls from said member, the spacer means having a pair of projections each fitting snugly in the recesses thus maintaining the walls a predetermined distance apart, the projections substantially hiding the clip when the units are viewed from below.

4. In combination, a pair of louvered grid lighting units having adjoining substantially vertical parallel walls, said walls having longitudinal projections on their adjoining surfaces below their upper edges, each projection having an upwardly directed portion defining with the wall a longitudinal channel having substantially vertical sides, and a clip connecting said walls, the clip comprising a member embracing the said walls at their upper edges and spacer means depending between the walls from said member, the spacer means having a pair of projections each fitting snugly between the vertical sides of a channel whereby the spacer means spaces the walls a predetermined distance apart and prevents spreading apart of the walls, the projections substantially hiding the clip when the units are viewed from below.

5. In combination, a pair of louvered grid lighting units having adjoining walls, said walls having recesses in their adjoining surfaces intermediate their upper and lower edges, a portion of one of said wall surfaces facing towards a portion of the adjoining surface of the other wall, said facing surface portions being between the upper edges of the walls and the recesses, and a clip connecting said Walls, the clip comprising a plate embracing said walls and having integral spacer members depending from said plate on either side thereof between said walls, each of said spacer members being in contact with said facing surface portions thus spacing the Walls a predetermined distance apart, and each wall having a projection extending from the wall towards the adjoining wall, the projection having a rib that is spaced from, and that has a vertical surface facing, the wall from which the projection extends, said vertical surface defining with the wall the recess of the wall, each of said spacer members having spaced projections fitting within said recesses against said vertical surfaces thus preventing spreading apart of the walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,686,106 Saives Oct. 2, 1928 1,707,533 Nagin Apr. 2, 1929 1,854,241 Adams Apr. 19, 1932 1,893,481 Adams Ian. 10, 1933 2,117,404 Curtis May 17, 1938 2,151,221 Meeker Mar. 21, 1939 2,192,720 Tapman Mar. 5, 1940 2,220,469 Wouters Nov, 5, 1940 2,565,448 Brownell Aug. 21, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 290,879 Italy December 1931 385,017 Great Britain Dec. 22, 1932 

